Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan Reveal ‘Wild’ Reason Behind 22-Year Wait for Freaky Friday Sequel

Fans of the beloved 2003 Disney film Freaky Friday have long clamored for a sequel, and now, after 22 years, their wishes are coming true. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, who played the mother-daughter duo Tess and Anna Coleman, are officially reprising their roles in the sequel, titled Freakier Friday, slated for release on August 8, 2025. But what caused the decades-long delay? According to Curtis and Lohan, the answer is both personal and emblematic of broader cultural shifts in Hollywood, including a newfound emphasis on authentic representation, diversity, and intergenerational storytelling .

In a recent joint interview and promotional appearance, Curtis revealed that one of her top requirements for making the sequel was ensuring the story reflected the realities of today’s families and communities—including LGBTQ+ identities and blended families. Lohan echoed this, saying that revisiting their characters in a modern context meant engaging with a script that is “honest, funny, and unapologetically inclusive” .

Curtis explained, “The world is a very different place than it was in 2003. For this film to matter, it needed to be more than a nostalgia trip—it had to speak to the families and communities that make up our audience today. That includes queer families, trans and nonbinary youth, and everyone who ever felt like they didn’t fit in at the dinner table” .

The creative team, now led by director Nisha Ganatra and writer Elyse Hollander, worked closely with Curtis and Lohan to ensure the new script was both true to the original’s heart and relevant to contemporary viewers. The process, according to those involved, was “wild” in its complexity—balancing fan expectations, studio demands, and the imperative to represent today’s diverse family structures .

Set 22 years after the original, Freakier Friday finds Anna (Lohan) with a daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter, and Tess (Curtis) navigating the challenges and joys of a modern, blended family. The film explores not just the comedic chaos of body-swapping, but also the nuances of identity, acceptance, and chosen family—a theme that resonates deeply within LGBTQ+ communities .

Director Nisha Ganatra, who has spoken openly about the importance of queer representation in her work, brings a fresh perspective to the franchise. “The beauty of Freaky Friday has always been about empathy—literally putting yourself in someone else’s shoes,” Ganatra said in a press statement. “This time, we wanted to push that idea even further: What does empathy look like in a world where families come in all shapes, sizes, and genders?” .

The sequel’s cast reflects this commitment, with new additions like Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Jordan E. Cooper, both advocates for inclusion and diversity in media. The film’s creative team also consulted with LGBTQ+ advocacy groups to ensure that characters and storylines authentically reflect queer and trans experiences .

The Freaky Friday franchise has always appealed to outsiders and misfits—those who didn’t feel seen in mainstream family narratives. The sequel’s explicit embrace of blended, queer, and chosen families marks a significant step forward in Disney’s approach to inclusive storytelling.

For many LGBTQ+ fans, the prospect of seeing themselves reflected not just in background characters but in the heart of a major Hollywood film is both validating and overdue. As Curtis noted in her interview, “It’s taken too long for these stories to be told on this scale, but I’m proud that we waited to get it right. Freakier Friday is for anyone who ever wished their family could understand them a little better—or for anyone who’s still figuring out who their family is” .

With its August 2025 release on the horizon, Freakier Friday promises to be more than just a nostalgic comedy. It stands as a testament to Hollywood’s evolving understanding of family, identity, and belonging. For LGBTQ+ viewers and their allies, the film may well become a new touchstone—one that celebrates the wild, wonderful diversity of modern life .